Samyang T-S 24mm 1:3.5 ED AS UMC lens announced

Samyang announced their first tilt-shift lens: T-S 24mm 1:3.5 ED AS UMC. The technical specifications are:

Samyang T-S 24mm 1:3.5 ED AS UMC lens design:

Press release:

Samyang Optics is about to release a new lens with the perspective control function — Samyang T-S 24mm1:3.5 ED AS UMC. The official product presentation will take place on September 18th 2012, duringinternational photographic Photokina fairs held in Cologne.

New Samyang T-S 24mm 1:3.5 ED AS UMC is a wide-angle, full-frame lens fitted with the perspective control and tilt-shift functions. Its unique optical and mechanical construction makes it an ideal tool for architecture and landscape photography. The product will be also extremely useful when convergence of the lines in the frame is required. Owing to the mechanism of optical axis tilt, focus depth operation brings utterly new quality and possibilities, enabling photographers to shape the image according to their individual needs, both on digital and analog carriers.

Optical design of Samyang T-S 24mm 1:3.5 ED AS UMC comprises of sixteen lenses arranged in eleven groups, including two aspherical lens and two lens made of ED glass with low dispersion factor. Thanks to this solution, the lens perfectly reproduces detailed elements and gives splendid image plasticity, also with the T-S function on. Each optical component of the product was covered with multi-layered, anti-reflective UMC coatings, which provide great light transmission factor, high contrasts and render only natural colors of the photographed scene. With sophisticated optics and developed T-S function, Samyang T-S 24mm 1:3.5 ED AS UMC is currently the most advanced lens produced by Samyang Optics and may compete with similar lenses of other brands.

Tilt-Shift function
Tilt-Shift function in Samyang T-S 24mm 1:3.5 ED AS UMC allows for smooth and individual adjustment of the focus plane angle by +/-8.5 and enables parallel shift of the optical axis by +/-12 millimeters. To make Tilit-Shift function even more seamless, both the lens mount as well as Tilt-Shift section may be rotated on the optical axis. The Tilt-Shift section may be rotated left by 90 degrees (with 30 degree adjustment), while mount of the lens may be rotated both in left and right direction by 90 degrees, also with 30 degree adjustment.

Samyang T-S 24mm 1:3.5 ED AS UMC will be available with mounts for Canon EF, Nikon F, Pentax and Sony a.

We welcome everyone to visit us at Photokina at our booth A025 in the hall 2.1

“To make Tilit-Shift function even more seamless, both the lens mount as well as Tilt-Shift section may be rotated on the optical axis. The Tilt-Shift section may be rotated left by 90 degrees (with 30 degree adjustment), while mount of the lens may be rotated both in left and right direction by 90 degrees, also with 30 degree adjustment”

that is my lens!

http://www.VolCo360.com Ken Elliott

Yeah – good catch. I noticed the mount rotated and wondered if I could rotate the tilt separate from the shift. I think I might have to buy one.

I wish Nikon would realize how important this feature is. If they lose enough sales, I think they may wake up.

steamru

What about prices?

http://CardinalePhotography.com Len

Will this lens fully work with the Nikon D800/E bodies?

Vlad

This lens looks so fantastic, but why, Samyang, why does it have to be a 82mm filter size?

El_Pickerel

Having just picked up the Tamron 24-70, I officially threw any inhibitions about 82mm filters out the window.

http://genotypewritings.blogspot.com genotypewriter

It’s 82mm because the lens’ field of view is wide like a 16mm lens’.

Dave Stewart

Regarding the Nikon mount version:

Do they mention which cameras this will work with? Nikon’s own PC range won’t fit on some of their smaller DSLR’s. Not because of the mount, but because of the limited space between the in-built flash and the mount.

Such problems may affect other brands too.

ben

Price?

Henry

Looking forward to see if this will perform well and even surpass Nikkor 24 PCE.

the idea that it won’t fit on smaller bodies is a misconception. it is limited in a situation- when it’s fully shifted, it won’t rotate on smaller bodies because it hits the flash housing. but that doesn’t mean it;s not compatible or fully operational. you just have to rotate it in the normal un-shifted position. that if you really want to rotate it 360 degrees.

Zaphod

No autofocus nor stabilization. OK, stabilization I can take. No autofocus no buy.

Herp derp

Name one tilt shift lens from any brand in history that has autofocus.

fisheyland

+1

David

Are you joking? I can’t tell.

How many stabilised, autofocus tilt-shift lenses have you ever heard of?

Steve

Tilt & Shift with Autofocus?
Nonsense

Ed

Lol. I guess all TS lenses have no autofocus. even the canon and nikon version.. LOL.

dave

tilt shift lenses don’t normally have autofocus….

Sheik

Yeah! We need autofocus, like in the other T/S-Lenses! Landscape and architecture are such fast parts of photography!

Sometimes… -.-

iamlucky13

I just assumed the OP has issues with his landscapes moving on him.

Whether the effect is real or a side-effect of something he has been drinking I can’t say.

Sheik

ehehehe

Beside the fact that autofocus on TS-lenses would blow up your camera, create a black hole or something like that…

Dave Stewart

None of the the Nikon PC (Perspective Control) lenses autofocus. And I suspect that’s also the case for other manufacturers of tilt and shift lenses. They’re not intended for action work!

Maxe

Have you seen ANY T/S with autofokus? Please let me know!

WYS

Poster obviously doesn’t understand TS lenses, use any current TS lenses nor knows any details about the current line of available TS lenses. This lense isn’t for him, so move on.

ralph

You’ve never used a TS lens have you? AF would actually screw you up totally.

I read the blurb on this and it talked about rotating the TS function and also rotating the base, I just cant work out if this equates to independent tilt shift rotation? That is the one criticism of both my 24 PC-E and 45 PC-E.

umesh

Zaphod as in Zaphod Beeblebrox? ( For stupid nonsensical talk you know!)

coco

don’t feed the troll

Aurèle

AHAHAHA ! With TS lens you always do manual focus, even on the $2.000 Canon or Nikon ones.

And no stab is obvious, such lens is use on a tripod mainly due to it’s slow use

If it was ironie, i really didn’t get it, i guess

Mike M

Wondering on the price too, my “buy a 5D and a TS-E because the combo is cheaper than just a PC-E for my Nikons” plan might go out the window if this is decent quality and in the ballpark price wise of a 1st gen Canon TS-E used.

David

From what I can tell, Nikon and Canon T/S lenses at 24mm are exactly the same price:

The Canon 45mm is cheaper than the Nikon 45mm though by about $600 USD.

Just noticed you meant used – still keeping this comment up just in case somebody gets the impression the new canon is cheaper than the new nikon.

Aaron

Anything under 1300 and this baby is SO mine.

sgts

NO AUTOFOCUS ????????????

SCHEIMPFLUG WILL BE ROLLING IN HIS GRAVE !!!

Ralph

LOL, I’m trying to imagine a focusing system that does the shift for you while focusing the background, I’m sure its possible – probably add a bit too much weight though. I’m just not sure how the system would know what i was trying to achieve with the shift.

ralph

Correction : that should have been achieve with tilt. Now Scheimpflug really is rolling in his grave.

http://genotypewritings.blogspot.com genotypewriter

With the normal point-based AF it can’t be done. So it’ll have to be contrast detect. You’ll have to specify a region and the lens can attempt to try and find the best tilt and shift parameters to maximise the focus there.

Because it’s not just a matter going back and forward, and there are many additional variables, it’ll be a very slow process. Which means it’s limited to still life on a tripod… which means you can just use manual focus instead.

Hawkeye

Not to mention the issue of the pc contacts between the lens and body. They’d have to have a really interesting system to let you rotate on the lens mount while keeping the contacts aligned.

And they’d have to put in a different focusing system for each brand, instead of just a different base (or 3 or 4 for Canon, since they can never stick with a mount ; )), thus driving up the price.

http://genotypewritings.blogspot.com genotypewriter

@Hawkeye

The focus needs to be implemented in terms of both the camera and the lens because the lens’ tilt shift would need to be motor controlled. So it’s basically impossible for 3rd parties to come up with something like that. If a body manufacturer comes up with such a TS lens that is supported by a body, then a 3rd party can most likely duplicate it.

Still… it’s very difficult to do… not sensible, if you ask me. Peaking focus is just as useful.

http://photokaz.com/ Mike

Been hoping for a lower cost option to the Nikkor 24 PCE. If this lens tests well and is available at a decent price I’ll pick it up. Already have two lenses that cover 24mm but they don’t have tilt/shift.

Sergey

For me as for architect and architectural photographer it’s a GREAT news! Thank you Samyang! I’m sure I’ll buy this lens at the first day it will be on sale in Russia. Nikon’s 24 mm PC-E lens is tooooo expencive, even for professional shooting. Samyang engeneers, if you read this, please don’t stop your work and also produce one more wide-angle lens – for interiors. I mean if you’ll design something similar to canon’s 17mm ts-e, but available for ALL systems – it will be BESTSELLER in interior photographers professional environment. Look: there is no similar products in Nikon’s line, and in Sony’s, and in Pentax’s also. So at current time interior and landscape photographers HAVE to use canon ts-e 17mm or large format film cameras like Sinar, which are very heavy and slow operating. But I’d like to have possibility to shoot interiors on Nikon d800, because of it’s awesome 36mp sensor and because I already have all Nikon’s system of acessories.

Sheik

+12908471

An affordable 17mm TS-lens manufactured by Samyang would sell like hot cake!

http://genotypewritings.blogspot.com genotypewriter

“So at current time interior and landscape photographers HAVE to use canon ts-e 17mm or large format film cameras like Sinar, which are very heavy and slow operating.”

Are you saying that as a matter of fact? Because the Canon TS-E 17 is a 125 degree lens wide open and typical lenses for view cameras max out at around 120… even that’s when they’re stopped down. Designs like Super Angulon XL, Super Symmar XL, APO-Grandagon N which are the usual view camera suspects for wide lenses don’t cover as wide as the TS-E 17mm does.

Sergey

It’s just my own opinion based on my modest experience in interior photo. I think there is no only one right focal lenght and angle of view, because that factors depends from: how many space for shooting do we have, how far you can step back, etc. I only can say that in tight spaces for fast test drafts in 80% of situations I use Nikon D7000 with Tokina 11-16 at wide angle (tokina’s 11 mm at DX ~equal to 17mm at FX) . And I wouldn’t reject the clone of Canon’s TS-E 17 mm which I could use with my D800.

Ralph

Just answered my own question. Tilt and shift can be rotated independently, so in that respect its better than the nikon. the pictures show TS on the same plane and at 90 deg to each other. Why didnt nikon do that?

TSer

probably because of the E wiring for the auto iris? Will the Samyang be stop down metering only too? Love my other Samyang lenses so optically this should be good too as they know how to make good glass.

http://genotypewritings.blogspot.com genotypewriter

Times have changed since people were raked over the coals (literally) for reasons like stopped down metering.

If you’ve used a tilt shift lens, you’d know that stopped down metering is the sensible thing to do because when you’re shifted you’re looking at a vignetted part of the image circle anyway. The moment you stop it down, it’s going to over-expose by an amount depending on where you’re on the image circle radius.

At any rate, this is not a problem for cameras with live view… stopped down metering being bad is a moot point nowadays. Even (most?) mirrorless cameras have their lenses stopped down the whole time. It’s the better way.

Yin

This is exciting. But the lens in the pictures looks very plastic to me… It was probably the lighting.
To Aaron who expects this to be $1300: Are you kidding me? I would rather buy the first generation Canon TS-E 24mm with that money. This lens better not be over $700.

http://genotypewritings.blogspot.com genotypewriter

I would rather buy the first generation Canon TS-E 24mm with that money

So you’d rather throw away money than spend a decent amount on a 3rd party lens that might actually do the job better than anyone else?

You obviously haven’t spent enough time with the TS-E 24L Mk I lens… probably one of the worst lenses. Mk II, on the other hand, is pretty much the best lens at that focal length for image quality.

Yin

I had a the first generation for about 10 months. I use it for strictly weddings, and I think it does a fine job. How long have you had it? And I doubt the second generation tops the 24mm f/1.4 L II in image quality, not that they should be compared together.

Tim

I see this as an exciting addition to Samyangs line up of lenses. I will be curious to see if the tilt shift block is milled metal or molded plastic. They could save big bucks by doing a molded plastic on the dove joints. A lens like a TS could get by with plastic dove joints as it is not a lens that needs fast action so plastic may be ok, then again who knows for sure. If you had a choice to save $300, would plastic doves and metal mount be worth the shift to plastic?

tengris

To add the 99th weird post about AF on T/S Lenses:

Yes, that would make sense in combination with Auto-Tilt. You can define an inclined plane by 3 points. Select three points in Live View and the camera tilts the lens to get all three in focus. I remember some prototype of a view camera capable of doing this. Never heard of it again.

Of course no existing DSLR camera offers such features. To be precise, the Canon TS-E lenses and the PC-E Nikkors (on cameras from D300 on) are the only Shift or Shift/Tilt lenses to offer electrically controlled apertures. So this will be the first Samyang lens without major limitations on many cameras. There will be no coupling, neither mechanical nor electronical, between lens and camera. There will not even be an AE version for Nikon, like other Samyang lenses have. But that was the standard before the TS-E lenses hit the road and it is still the standard for e.g. the Schneider PC Super Angulons for thousands of $/€/£.

http://na dino

Guys
I see only a major “cons” against this lens… I can live with everything, yet as far as I see, there’s no CPU at all… it means that ALSO exposure has to be calculated….

Tim

Sorry, just the nature of the beast. With the Tilt and Shift you can only have an electrical connection as in the Nikon TS lenses. That cost you big bucks. Keep in mind that to get the most from a TS lens, you really need to tripod mount it to get a full depth tilt. With all that extra, doing a manual exposure check is a piece of cake.